Feeler mechanism for looms



5 June 22 1926. v 1,589,557

. J. F. REARDON ET AL FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Feb. 9, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l /N VENT R an. M ATTORNEY i BY .June 22,1926. 1,589,557

J. F. REARDON ET AL FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Feb. 9, 1926' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 20 m v 26 a? ENTOI? Patented June 22, 1926.

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JOl-IN F. REABDON AND GEORGE POIRRIER, 0F G-ROSVENOR DALE, CONNECTICUT,

ASSIGNORS T0 DRAPER CORPORATION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- PORATIDN OF MAINE.

FEELIEB MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Application filed February 9, 1926. Serial l\To. 87,022.

This invention relates to feeler mechanisms for looms and more particularly to feeler mechanisms of the intermittent type wherein the feeler has periods of activity alternating with periods of inactivity durlng weaving.

In feeler mechanisms of the intermittent type the feeler is held in a front position for periods of time and is released to the performance of its feeling function at intervals, and when, during a period of activity, the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling, it is again held in its fr'ontward or inactiveposition, and various means have been devised for the control of such intermittent feelers.

The present invention relates more particularly to a novel and improved form of feeler lock and release, and one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a feeler lock of simple construction with a minimum number of parts, which shall be effective in maintaining the feeler in its frontward inactive position and equally effective in the release of the feeler at intervals. 1.

In accordance with the present invention, the feeler lock comprises a locking pin which is movable to and from locking position in a swivel block through which the feeler extends, the feeler being provided with a locking recess to be engaged by the in when the feeler is moved frontwardly y a working supply of filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat. The above general characteristics of the invention andthe new combination of parts will best be made clear from the following description and the accompanying drawings of one good form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view at the feeler side of the loom, only such parts being shown as are necessary for a proper description of the present invention which associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail with some of the parts broken away, showing the feeler in its locked or inactive position; Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, showing the feeler in its active or feeling position;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail in perspective showing a part of the feeler locking pin trip mechanism; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional View of a detail showing the means for yieldingly moving the locking pin to its locking position.

The feeler mechanism embodying the present invention is shown in connection with a loom for replenishing the filling on substantial exhaustion of the filling in the active shuttle, although of course the invention may be utilized in changing the loom operation in other respects, and since the details of the filling replenishing mechanism form no part of the present invention, it is not herein shown and described and may be of any well-known construction.

The invention is best shown in connection with a feeler mechanism wherein the feeder has a movement towards and from the front of the loom, and also in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle, and, as herein shown, is of the inclined type.

The loom frame 1 may be of usual. construction and has mounted thereon the brackets 2, one at each side of the loom, in

which is supported thetransverse or rock shaft 3 from which rises the arnrt having pivotally connected thereto at 5 the actuator 6, to the rear end portion of which is pivotally connected at 7 the finger 8, which is adapted at times to be engaged by an operating member 9 conveniently formed as, or having movement with, the usual cam follower. Connected with the finger 8 is a projection 10 overlying one arm 11 of a bell crank lever pivoted at 12 to a support 13, the other arm 14. of the bell crank lever being connected to a transmitter 15 jointed to a slide 16 mounted on bearings at the rear portion of the feeler stand 17. The feeler stand 17 is adjustably connected to the loom frame or shipper stand by means of a bracket 18 and bolt 19.

The feeler 20 is herein shown as of the inclined type, that is, it enters the shuttle to feel for the filling in a direction inclined to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle and passes through an opening in the slide 16, as more fully shown and described in the patent to Edward S. Stimpson, No. 1,309,- 226, July 8, 1919, to which reference may be had for a more full disclosure of the construction.

Mounted upon the feeler stand 17 is a bracket 21, between the overhanging arm 22 of which and the feeler stand is pivotally mounted the swivel block 23, as more clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The swivel block 23 forms a rocking bearing for the frontwardly extending stem portion 2st of the feeler 20, and between the swivel block 23 and the support or bridge 25 is interposed a spring 26 which normally acts to move the feeder into its rearward :teeling position. The parts so far described may be substantially the same as the similar parts in the patent to Edward S. Stimpson he-rei-nhefore mentioned.

The teeler stein is provided with a 1001iing recess 27, Figs. 2 and 3, tne front wall of which at- 28 is inclined upwardly and nearwardly for a purpose that will presently appear. The locking recess 27 in the teeler may be conveniently formed as a hole passing through the feeler stem, but it is not always necessary.

The swivel block 23, which as hereinbefore described, constitutes a rocking bearing for the teeler, has its downwardly extending portion 29 provided with an opening 30 which extends axially in a vertical direction from the lower part of the swivel block and is adapted to register with the locking recess 27 in the feeler when the latter is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling on a detecting beat.

Mounted for movement in the opening 30 in the swivel block is a locking pin, and means are provided in accordance with the present invent-ion, to move the locking pin in the axial opening 30 of the swivel block to and from its locking position.

In the presentinstance of the invention, the locking pin 31 is mounted upon the arm 32 which is constituted as a lever. In the present instance the arm 32 has a sleeve portion 33, Fig. 1, which is secured to a lever 3 l pivotally mounted at 35 in a rocking bearing supported from the shipper stand or" the loom, and the other arm 36 of the lever is associated with means for imparting to the locking pin 31 its locking and unlocking movements. Such means, in the present instance, is formed by a rod 37 which extends downwardly and is secured to a strip 38 which is formed in the present instance as an arm supported for rocking movement on a stud 39 extending from the bracket 40 se cared to the loom frame.

The lower end of the rod 39 is connected at 41 with a sleeve 42 adapted to be moved longitudinally of the trip 38 and secured in its adjusted position to thereby vary the extent of the locking and unlocking movement of the locking pin 31.

T he trip 38 is normally under the influence of a spring 43 tending to swing the trip 38 downwardly, and through the connections therebetween and the locking pin 31 to move the locking pin into its locking position.

In accordance with the present invention, the trip 38 is to be moved at intervals to free the teeler, and after one, two or an appropriate number of detecting beats to permit the spring 43 to again move the locking pin to its locking position. An appropriate means for thus tripping the trip 38 at intervals may be actuated'by some going part of the loom, and in the present instance such means is connected to the take-up mechanism. The

ratchet wheel 44 which constitutes a .part of o a usual form 01 take-up mechanism has secured thereto a trip lug 45 which is mounted upon an arm 16 which may be secured to the ratchet wheel hi. C-nly one trip lug i5 is shown, but it is evident that any appropriate number of such trips may be associated with the take-up mechanism to vary the intervals of inactivity oi the teelcr.

Since the locking pin 31 is to be preferably engaged with the axial opening 30 formed in the swivel block and not be removed therefrom w ien the locking pin moves to unlocking position, the present invention provides a stop for limiting the movement of the locking pin, and in the present instance this may be conveniently formed by an arm 47, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, secured either to the under side of the feeler stand 17 or other convenient support, and with an opening at its front end portion through which the upturned end i8 of the arm extends, and above the opening in the arm or guide 47 thearm 32 is pro vided with a shoulder 49, the construction being such that the shoulder 49 in connection rith the arm or guide 4:? constitutes a stop for limiting the extent of movementof the locking pin.

When the trip 38 is released from the trip lock 45 by movement of the take-up mechanism, the spring 43 asserts itself to again return the locking pin to its locking or up position, and it at such time the feeler should not present the locking recess 27 for the entrance of the locking pin, the latter could not move into its locking position, and to meet this condition the present invention provides in the rod 37 a yielding portion, best shown in Fig. 5, wherein the lower portion of the rod 37 has secured thereto a sleeve 50 as by means of threads 51, and the upper portion of the rod 3? extends into the cavity 52 of the sleeve and is provided with a head 53 between which and the upper wall 51 of the sleeve is interposed a spring 55, the construction being such that should the trip 38 be moved downwardly to cause movement of the pin to locking position when the locking recess 27 of the feeler is not in register with the opening 30 in the swivel block, the spring 55 will yield as the locking pin meets the non-recessed portion of the feeler, andsubsequently when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling and the locking recess 27 comes into register with the locking pin, the spring -.will at once assert itself and cause the locking pin to be engaged by the locking recess.

When it is desired to alteror change the extent of movement of the locking'pin, the sleeve 42 will be moved longitudinally of the trip 38 by hand manipulation of the securing bolt 56, Fig. 4, and subsequently be secured in adjusted position.

The lay 57 may be of usual construction and provided with a shuttle box 58, the front Wall of which has an opening 59 adapted to register with. an opening 60 in the front wall of the shuttle 61 when the latter is in the feeler box, sothat the feeler 20 may enter the shuttle on a detecting beat and feel for the condition of the filling.

Assuming that thefceler is in its backward feeling position on a detecting beat and a working supply of filling is in the shuttle, the feeler will be moved frontwvardly and the locking pin 31 will move in the opening in the swivel block and engage the recess 27 in the feeler, and since the wall 28 of the recess is inclined, the locking pin will withdraw the feeler into a further frontward position out of engagement with the filling on subsequent detects ing beats during periods of inactivity of th feeler. WVhen the trip lug 45 acts upon the trip 38, the locking pin will be withdrawn from the locking recess and the feeler freed to its feeling function. Should the shuttle not contain a working supply of filling at such times, the feeler will remain in action and when the filling has been substantially exhausted and just before complete exhaustion, the feeler will side swipe or move longitudinally of the shuttle and through the trainof mechanism described effect replenishment of filling.

hat is claimed is:

1. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mounted for movement towards and from the front of the loom and longitudinally of the shuttle, a swivel block through which the feeler eX- tends and having an axial opening, a feeler locking pin movable toand from locking engagement with the feeler in the swivel block axial opening, and locking means connected to the locking pin for moving it to and from locking position.

2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combinationof a feeler mounted for movement towards and from the front of the m and longitudinally of the shuttle, a swivel block through which the stem of the feeler extends having an opening the longitudinal axis of which is transverse relative to the feeler stem, a locking pin movable in said opening-to and from lockingengagement with the feeler, and means for moving the locking pin to lock and release the feeler.

3. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination of a feeler having a frontwardly extending stem provided with a locking recess, a swivel block forming a bearing for the feeler stem and having an axial opening, a locking pin movable in said axial opening to and from looking engagement with the locking recess, and, means for moving the pin at intervals to lock and unlock the feeler.

4. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler having a frontwardly extending stem provided with a locking recess, a swivel block forming a bearing for the feeler stem and having an axial opening, a locking pin movable in said axial opening to and from looking engagement with said locking recess in the feeler stem, means for withdrawing the pin from looking position at intervals to free the feeler and means acting yieldingly to return the pin to locking position.

5. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler having a frontwardly extending stem provided with a locking recess, a swivel block forming a rocking bearing for said stem and having an opening adapted to register with the locking recess when the feeler is moved frontwar'dly by a workingsupply of filling on a detecting beat, a locking pin movable in said opening to and from engagement with said locking recess, and means to withdraw the pin from the locking recess at intervals to free the feeler and return it to locking position to again lock the feeler.

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler having a locking re- 7 cess provided with an inclined wall, a swivel block forming a rocking bearing for the feeler and having an axial opening adapted to register with said locking recess when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling on a detecting beat, a locking pin mounted for movement to locking position in said axial opening to engage the inclined wall of the locking recess and withdraw the feeler frontwardly, and means for operating the locking pin at intervals to free the feeler and again lock it.

7. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler having a stem provided with a locking recess, a swivel block forming a rocking bearing for said stem and provided with an axial opening, a look ing pin movable in said opening of the swivel block to lock and unlock the feeler,

means to withdraw the locking pin at intervals to free the feeler, a stop for limiting the movement of the locking pin, and means acting yieldingly to return the pin to locking -:pesition to again lock the feeler when itais movel frontwarcllyhy a working supply of fillingon a detecting beat.

8. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler having a frontward- 1y extending stem provided With a locking recess, a swivel bloc-k forming a rocking bearing for said stem and having an opening adapted to register with the locking recess when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of fillingon a detecting heat, a locking pin movable in said openingto and from engagement with said locking recess, meansto withdraw the pin from the locking recess at intervals to free the feeler and returnit to locking position to again lock the feeler, and means for changing the extent of locking and unl0cking movements of the locking pin.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our 20 names-to this specification.

JOHN F. REARDON.

7 his GEORGE POIRRIER.

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